The Nameless Monster

Once upon a time, on a humanless corner of the earth, lived a nameless monster.
It wanted a name so badly, so it started to travel to look for a name. But the world is too big, so it divided itself into two monsters, one headed east, and the other west, to look for a name.

The eastbound monster met a blacksmith called Otto.
"Can you give me a name?"
"How can I give my name to another people?"
"If you give me your name, I will get into your body and make you strong as a gift."
"Well, if you give me the strength I'll give you my name."
So the monster allowed itself into the blacksmith's body. Ever since then the blacksmith was getting stronger and stronger.
And Otto became the strongest man in town.
"Look, the monster inside me is growing so big," the blacksmith paraded himself to the countrymen.
Yet the monster got hungry, so he ate the blacksmith from inside.
"Kalikalikolakola....."
And he ate the blacksmith out. Everybody was terrified and ran away.
No one was left there to call it Otto. Again it turned nameless.
So the monster marched on to his trip, questing for a name.

Same with carpenter Hans.
"Kalikalikolakola....."
Again it turned nameless.

Same with hunter Thomas.
"Kalikalikolakola....."
Again it turned nameless.

The monster came to a castle to look for a name.
"I will make you strong if you give me your name?"
"If you can make me not sick I'll give you my name."
So the monster got into John the ill prince's body. Day by day John was getting better. The King and the Queen were grateful to the monster.
Yet the monster got hungry, so he ate everything in the Palace.
"Look, the monster inside me is growing so big!" John told his parents.
Yet the monster was still hungry, so it ate everyone in the palace.
"Kalikalikolakola....."

So now there's no one else to call the monster John, even though it was still in John's body.

One day John met the westbound monster.
"Look, I've got a name, my name is John."
"We don't need a name, we are monsters."
So John ate the westbound monster. Now there's nothing on earth that can call it by the name--John, what a beautiful name.

URASAWA Naoki, Monster, Vol. 9.